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Authors: Paul L. Williams
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attention to their plight by saying: "Denied
legal protection against violence, innocent persons are treated as
criminals even though they have scrupulously obeyed the law of their
native land. Even those who in time of war fought bravely for their
country are branded as traitors and the children of those who laid
down their lives in their country's behalf are branded as outlaws by
the very fact of their parentage."
Pope Pius XI, according to Cardinal Tisserant, intended to promulgate the encyclical on February 12, 1939. Preparations were made
for the announcement. The original manuscript was placed on the
pope's desk for signing, and copies were printed by the Vatican press
for circulation to bishops and priests throughout the world .2' In
preparation of this event, he called for a meeting of the Italian hierarchy on February 11.
The pope's change in attitude toward Hitler most likely was not a
result of the reported "persecutions" of the Church by German
bishops. Such persecutions were far from severe or intolerable, consisting, for the most part, of the suppression of Catholic associations
that were deemed to be political in nature and outlawed by the concordat and the censorship of inflammatory editorials and columns
against the Third Reich in the Catholic press. His decision to issue the
encyclical may have been caused by his desire to denounce the forces
of evil-forces that he had helped to unleash-before his impending
death. Two days before his death Pius XI was reported as pleading
with his physicians to keep him alive: "I want to warn Catholics everywhere not to support Hitler and Mussolini. It might help to stop the
outbreak of the war. Let me live another forty-eight hours! "21
Cardinal Tisserant added in his journal that a few Vatican officials,
including Cardinal Pacelli, were highly concerned about the release
of the encyclical and its effect on the Vatican's relations with Nazi
Germany. They were most particularly concerned with the fact that
Hitler might terminate the Kirschensteuer, which was now producing
for the Holy See nearly $100 million a year.
But the encyclical never saw the light of day. Pius XI died on February 10, one day before his scheduled meeting with the hierarchy.
The pope was old and gravely ill with heart congestion. Yet myste rious circumstances surround his death, circumstances that are documented by Cardinal Tisserant in his journals and give rise to the
reports of evil deeds within the Vatican.
Tisserant's journals are voluminous and, like the lost encyclical,
are only beginning to come to light.
Dr. Francisco Petacci, according to Tisserant, became the official
physician to Pius XI in February of 1939. From the moment he
assumed the position, Tisserant says, Dr. Petacci acted "with extreme
circumspection" and became resentful when additional physicians were
called for consultation. He demanded to be present when they examined the pope and dismissed their recommendations for treatment.26
Despite protests from Dr. Petacci, four physicians were asked to
remain in semipermanent attendance to the pope, in addition to two
nurse friars. Under the supervision of the medical team, the pope's condition appeared to improve and his condition was listed as "fair."27 But
between February 8 and 9 the pope's condition worsened, and Tisserant
and the other cardinals were told to prepare "for the worst."28
In the evening of February 9, the Pope seemed to recover and his
condition was listed as "well." Tisserant and the other cardinals
issued a sigh of relief, thinking that the Holy Father would be able to
issue the new encyclical, and plans got underway for the Holy
Father's audience with the Italian bishops on February 11.29
At 5:30 A.M. February 10, the pope was pronounced dead. Nobody
appears to have witnessed the death of the pope. He seemed to have
expired without anyone at his side. The only person who had access to
the pope's apartment
legal protection against violence, innocent persons are treated as
criminals even though they have scrupulously obeyed the law of their
native land. Even those who in time of war fought bravely for their
country are branded as traitors and the children of those who laid
down their lives in their country's behalf are branded as outlaws by
the very fact of their parentage."
Pope Pius XI, according to Cardinal Tisserant, intended to promulgate the encyclical on February 12, 1939. Preparations were made
for the announcement. The original manuscript was placed on the
pope's desk for signing, and copies were printed by the Vatican press
for circulation to bishops and priests throughout the world .2' In
preparation of this event, he called for a meeting of the Italian hierarchy on February 11.
The pope's change in attitude toward Hitler most likely was not a
result of the reported "persecutions" of the Church by German
bishops. Such persecutions were far from severe or intolerable, consisting, for the most part, of the suppression of Catholic associations
that were deemed to be political in nature and outlawed by the concordat and the censorship of inflammatory editorials and columns
against the Third Reich in the Catholic press. His decision to issue the
encyclical may have been caused by his desire to denounce the forces
of evil-forces that he had helped to unleash-before his impending
death. Two days before his death Pius XI was reported as pleading
with his physicians to keep him alive: "I want to warn Catholics everywhere not to support Hitler and Mussolini. It might help to stop the
outbreak of the war. Let me live another forty-eight hours! "21
Cardinal Tisserant added in his journal that a few Vatican officials,
including Cardinal Pacelli, were highly concerned about the release
of the encyclical and its effect on the Vatican's relations with Nazi
Germany. They were most particularly concerned with the fact that
Hitler might terminate the Kirschensteuer, which was now producing
for the Holy See nearly $100 million a year.
But the encyclical never saw the light of day. Pius XI died on February 10, one day before his scheduled meeting with the hierarchy.
The pope was old and gravely ill with heart congestion. Yet myste rious circumstances surround his death, circumstances that are documented by Cardinal Tisserant in his journals and give rise to the
reports of evil deeds within the Vatican.
Tisserant's journals are voluminous and, like the lost encyclical,
are only beginning to come to light.
Dr. Francisco Petacci, according to Tisserant, became the official
physician to Pius XI in February of 1939. From the moment he
assumed the position, Tisserant says, Dr. Petacci acted "with extreme
circumspection" and became resentful when additional physicians were
called for consultation. He demanded to be present when they examined the pope and dismissed their recommendations for treatment.26
Despite protests from Dr. Petacci, four physicians were asked to
remain in semipermanent attendance to the pope, in addition to two
nurse friars. Under the supervision of the medical team, the pope's condition appeared to improve and his condition was listed as "fair."27 But
between February 8 and 9 the pope's condition worsened, and Tisserant
and the other cardinals were told to prepare "for the worst."28
In the evening of February 9, the Pope seemed to recover and his
condition was listed as "well." Tisserant and the other cardinals
issued a sigh of relief, thinking that the Holy Father would be able to
issue the new encyclical, and plans got underway for the Holy
Father's audience with the Italian bishops on February 11.29
At 5:30 A.M. February 10, the pope was pronounced dead. Nobody
appears to have witnessed the death of the pope. He seemed to have
expired without anyone at his side. The only person who had access to
the pope's apartment
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